Dieting vs. bypass, confused!

 Ok, this has confused me for some time now. Why is it when someone has weight loss surgery and they can only eat a few bites at a time they lose wt super mega fast, but if a person without surgery cuts calories that low, their body goes into "starvation mode" and they stop losing wt, or even gain some back, even though they're barely eating? Just doesn't make sense to me...Thanks!!

Honestly, I think it all works out to the same thing. Calories in vs calories out. I don't believe in the "starvation mode" idea. Anorexics don't stop losing weight. For me anyway, in the past when I stopped losing weight (during a stall), I got discouraged and gave up. People who have had WLS have no choice but to push through a stall. JMHO

 Yeah, that is totally me - if I don't see constant results I get frustrated & fall off the wagon. It just seems like if I would cut my calories as low as someone whos had wls, I would be considered an unhealthy dieter and chastised for starving myself, and supposedly would hit "starvation mode" and stop losing. But if it works so well for the ppl having surgery, why wouldn't it work for me to just drastically slash my calories, too, withOUT the surgery? *sigh*

I totally know what you mean! The reason I'm even on this message board is because I was planning on having wls. I had made the decision. I had my wls scheduled, vacation time requested and my flight booked. I was planning to have surgery in TJ Mexico. Then it just dawned on me that regardless of surgery I was going to have to change my bad eating habits, or I would gain back all the lost weight. I know people who have had wls, lost a bunch of weight then gain most or all of it back because they never changed what they ate, only how much they ate. Also, since I was going to have to start on a liquid diet, both pre- and post-op I decided to just go on a liquid diet w/ out the wls. So I cancelled my appointment and started a liquid diet. I did that for a couple months and did really well. I'm still doing mostly liquid and still losing, but I didn't tell most people about the liquid only phase because I didn't want to be chastised about my "unhealthy" diet. It's nobody's business but mine right? Screw everyone else.

 2 things. WLS rearanges the bodys way of digesting. think about the RNY 90% of the intestine is gone! so it is different. 
1- WLS patients also go through stalls, but they also have manditory therapy in most cases, so they have a foot up. As th pp posted also their body wont let them stop the low cal... and sadly people also have strong opinions on WLS! they also hear they are bad dieters. 

Good point about RNY. I guess I was thinking about VSG since that is what I was going to have.

I guess no matter what we do SOMEONE is gonna fine SOME fault, right? But you're right, it's none of their business. I actually upped my calories back up to 1000 yesterday and actually lost another pound and a half or so, so I'm gonna try to keep it around 1000 instead of 800 and see how that works. Thanks so much for everyone's input!! :-)

I can answer this...

Back in 1997-98 I did a medically supervised fast (meal replacement diet - i.e. shakes) where I had 650 calories & 5 grams of fat a day.  I lost 135 pounds in seven months - kept it off for almost 5 years, so after an injury and gaining it all back, I thought I could just do "it" again.  I wasn't seeing the same loses this time around, so I actually decided I needed the malabsorptive surgery, Roux-en-Y (RNY).

The basics behind RNY is that you are combining restriction & malabsorption - by moving a large section of the small intestine & branching it (the Y) to the large intestine.  The small intestine is where the majority of your absorption is done -- and in MY case, my body was way too efficient.  I actually went round & round before commiting to the surgery, as I kept saying, "If I could only stick to a diet & exercise plan..."

My opinion about ANY Weight Loss Surgery (WLS) is that you really need to exhaust EVERY effort to get your weight under control.  Whether you are comfortable at 250, 150, or whatever weight, IF you are healthy, exercising regularly, then you don't need medical intervention.  I also think unless a patient is REALLY morbidly obese (I was a 74.4 BMI), then don't just say, "WLS is the way to go".  WLS is SEVERE, and you have to commit to a life change that you may or may not be able to follow.  I had 17 friends go under the knife before me, so I had a clue what I was about to do to myself.

Meal Replacement is a GREAT option.  Why not just use a protein drink?  Think of a meal - chicken, veggies & a starch as opposed to just eating the chicken.  Same calories (or close to it), but it is COMPLETE.  I drink at least ONE meal replacement a day -- 28 grams of protein, a third of my daily nutritents, as my goal is 100 grams of protein a day -- I have to be choosey with what to eat.  If you want to know what brand I like - I am a Chike Fanatic!  The flavor & texture is what I like, I have options with flavors (including mixing them together), and I even have recipes that call for Chike.  

Having a DAILY exercise routine will also make you burn more calories - calories in - calories out, for non-surgical weight loss is really what you have to consider.  I have lost over 150 pounds, but it has NOT been easy.  I have swam 359 miles just this year alone -- so the surgery did NOT cure the problem, but is is helping me.  Each person has to look at what they can & will do, and what they won't do. 

Before surgery, I have lost 90 pounds, 135 pounds at various times in my life, but I have been battling weight issues since childhood (was a TOPS member at the age of 10).  As I said, you CAN lose weight non-surgically, I even have proof -- my 20 year old daughter!  She was 286 in her freshman year in high school, by just drinking a meal replacement shake EVERY MORNING (she SKIPPED breakfast until that point), she was down to 170's her Sophomore year -- and is STILL NOW in the 170 - 180 range (standing 5' 10") and in just the overweight BMI range (I disagree that she is overweight).  It can be done, if you are willing to commit to lifestyle changes & stick with them.

Hope that helps!!!
Brenda -- who actually BELIEVES in Non-Surgical Weight Loss!!!